Fishing: Spring into action on water

Pete Reynolds leans into a snapper while fishing from the rocks at Mahurangi. Photo / Geoff Thomas

Is spring here, or isn't it?

Some media announce the change in seasons after a long winter on the first day of September. But there are two schools when it comes to thinking about weather and seasons — some experts will tell you : "No, spring doesn't start until the equinox, which is determined by the position of the sun, and this year falls on September 23."

The equinox occurs in spring and autumn, and the solstice marks the longest and shortest days of the year, which are December 21 and June 21. You would be excused for assuming that the longest day would coincide with the middle of summer, but summer weather does not seem to settle in until schools go back at the end of January.

The summer solstice in the northern hemisphere is well documented with celebrations of mid-summer on June 21 stretching back thousands of years. The best known revolves around Stonehenge, when the morning sun's rays line up exactly with the famous stones.

It all comes back to weather, and in this country it is always changing. Just ask any farmer or fisher. This is not surprising, for we are just a couple of islands with a shoreline climate.

Throw mountains into the mix and it is not surprising it is always changing. In fact, during discussions with a meteorological scientist on the accuracy of our weather forecasts he explained that New Zealand is actually the second hardest place in the world to forecast weather behind the Falkland Islands.

It takes a large land mass like the continent just across the Tasman to produce settled and predictable weather patterns.

Fortunately it looks as if this weekend will see some friendly conditions for getting out on the water, and it should be well worth launching the boat, for the fishing has been hot in some areas.

West coast fishermen are preparing for the annual migration of snapper up the coast from Taranaki heading north, and October usually sees the best action.

But it often lasts through to Christmas, when the game fish arrive to keep keen fishers occupied. Land-based torpedo fishermen who send a long-line trailing 25 hooks over kilometres offshore will do well on beaches such as Mokau, Kariotahi and Baylys Beach.

From North Cape to the Bay of Plenty the prime fishing is not hard to find, from straylining in the shallows to bottom dunking offshore. Whether bait or lures are your thing, it all works. And kingfish are not hard to find with a live bait set around reefs and islands, wherever a current is running.

One area that has been producing consistently right through the winter is the shallows around Orete Point, with a light line and lightly weighted baits.

Rock fishing should also pick up as temperatures slowly climb, and for those prepared to venture afield and travel to the Coromandel coast or the Northland coast there is a wealth of shore-based opportunities, usually from a rocky promontory where currents clash.

For that is the key to rock fishing — finding a spot where tidal flows sweep past, and for the fish the safety of deep water is never far away. One clue is to check the contour of the land sweeping down to the sea, for that contour will continue unseen beneath the waves.

A steep hillside promises deep water within casting range. Conversely a fan of gravel and sand growing out from a cleft in the hills has been fed by the river flowing through the valley, and the sea bed will slope gradually away into the blue mist below the sparkling surface.

Around Auckland the rocks at Whatipu are always popular, and on the North Shore you can start at the Black Rocks in Milford, moving along the East Coast Bays to the rocky reefs at Browns Bay and Campbells Bay. The rich fishing potential continues on both sides of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula wherever access down to the water beckons. .

There are many places where a brisk walk along the coast reveals a ledge where a bait can be cast. The key is to work the tides and the weather. Arriving at half tide on the ebb allows plenty of time to fish through the bottom of the tide to half of the incoming.

This has two benefits — the prime bite time is usually on one side of low tide so both are covered, and there will always be safe access as the highest part of the tide may well have cut off retreat.

Fresh water
On Lake Rotorua trolling in the shallows on the eastern side, from the airport to the Ohau Channel, is producing good catches.

At this time of year smelt start migrating through the channel from Lake Rotoiti to spawn on the sandy shallows in Lake Rotorua.

Trolling with lures like silver toby or purple cobra works well, and a smelt fly added to the trace a metre ahead of the lure is also a useful option.

Fly fishermen can cast into the shallows where the lake runs into the channel, but the channel itself remains closed to fishing until the new season opens on October 1.

Tip of the week

Fish all angles from a spot on the shore. The deep water directly in front may not always be the best place to find a fish. Use floating baits, and keep in touch with the bait so it doesn't sink and tangle among rocks and weed. In fact a slowly moving bait is often more effective than a static one.

• Bite times

Bite times are 10.50am and 11.20pm tomorrow and 11.50am on Sunday. More fishing action can be found at GTTackle.co.nz